A longer version of Will’s interview with Natalie Cairns-Ratter, which aired earlier this year. Natalie is a musician, music teacher, and mother of an Autistic son, which all led her, first to a Master of Education at the Royal College of Music, then to her doctorate.
Natalie’s research investigates experiences of flow - full immersion and intense focus on a task – during music practice, with the view of reconceptualising ‘repetitive behaviours’ of Autistic children as flow experiences.
Her work is part of a broader movement for Autistic-led research (a particular aspect of the “nothing about us without us” movement in disability studies) and Critical Autism Studies. She is also full of useful recommendations for scholarship and wellbeing.
Natalie’s LinkedIn page.
Natalie’s research profile.
Books mentioned:
The Routledge handbook of Critical Autism Studies (D Milton, S Ryan editors)
Ginny Russell’s The Rise of Autism
Prof. Ockelford’s Comparing Notes
If you are a Roehampton student, these are all available at our excellent Library page!
Podcasts:
BBC Radio 4’s The Autism Curve
The PhD LifeRaft
Also, Connected Papers, a tool mapping the connections within the literature, and Attention Restoration Theory (incl. ‘soft fascination’) on the benefits of Nature for attention and cognitive health.
Links mentionned:
Chapters
The Roey Grad Podcast is a presentation of the University of Roehampton’s Graduate School.
Our theme music is by DiamondTunes
Our hosts are two PhD students at Roehampton, Charles Miller and Will Berard, who also edits and mixes the podcast. It was produced by Aaliyah Hassan.
Comments, questions, want to appear on the show? Get in touch at graduateschool@roehampton.ac.uk
